February 13, 2011

Kids who spend more time outside experience a reduced risk of myopia, or nearsightedness. Nearsightedness, which results in blurry distance vision, is on the rise around the world, reports Los Angeles Times. According to a recent study, nearsightedness in Americans ages 12 to 54 increased 66 percent between 1970 and 2000. While nearsightedness is genetic, the increase can't be explained by genes alone, say experts who believe that the amount of time kids spend outdoors could play a role in whether the vision problem develops. Researchers believe that one explanation for reduced myopia among kids who spend more time outside is that their eyes are exposed to objects consistently focused in the distance. Another possibility is that eyes require exposure to a certain amount of light intensity.

Several food scientists believe that it would be would be difficult and unusual to perform tests to figure out exact meat content in fast food offerings, such as Taco Bell items, says Wall Street Journal. An issue is that identical lists of ingredients may produce varied end results, depending on cooking methods. For example, cooking meat uncovered allows water to evaporate, but adding a lid would alter meat concentration found in tests. While chains typically offer a partial ingredient list, as well as nutritional info on their websites, it's up to the restaurants to decide how much meat to include. They may also choose whether or not to disclose the percentage of meat. To protect their recipes and remain competitive, many chains refuse to disclose the percentage of ingredients used.

Eating disorder activists are upset over PepsiCo's new skinny can for Diet Pepsi, which is making an appearance for the first time during the Mercedes-Benz Fall Fashion Week in New York. Pepsi uses model-like words to describe their new skinny can: taller, stylish, attractive. PepsiCo's comments have angered representatives for the National Eating Disorders association. The president of the association, Lynn Grefe, commented that Fall Fashion Week is "rife with eating disorders," and PepsiCo's comments are "thoughtless and irresponsible." CNN reports that Grefe said, "Their shameful misdirection is further exemplified by tying the launch of this offensive marketing campaign to Fashion Week, where women’s body types are atypical at best … and unhealthy as to be fatal at worst.”

A study analyzing 27 previous long term studies of about 4,100 kids with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 6,800 healthy controls found that kids with the disorder are more likely to become addicted to drugs and have a harder time quitting. ADHD makes focusing, completing one task, staying interested in something and remaining still difficult. These kids enter into adolescence and adulthood with serious, moderate or mild academic and social problems. It is important that kids are diagnosed properly, meaning they have at least six out of the nine symptoms that cause problems in all aspects of their lives. They should also be diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist. The complete study has been published online at Clinical Psychology Review.